The Perks- Mine
Saturday night found Nick in the bowling alley not far from his home, sitting apart from his group. He had been there a whopping ten minutes and already he wanted to go home. Another night out and about with Finnick, who had invited a vixen, and *ugh* Natasha, who hoped the double date atmosphere would warm his friend to the situation. While the other foxes talked about who knew what, the todd scrolled through his phone. Nick had stopped listening after introductions to Finn’s latest interest. He actually hadn’t even paid attention to that. As soon as possible, he moved as far away from them as he could without seeming overly rude.
Ever since Nick agreed to a movie with her two months ago, Natasha kept throwing herself onto him every time they got together. Her arms wrapped around his neck in a way that had him convinced she was trying to strangle him, with her body uncomfortably pressed against his. Her scent (overdone floral fur spray mingled with her natural hints of sandalwood) took several washing to get out of his clothing. That ridiculously long tail of hers was practically stitched to his lap. It made the skin under his fur crawl from its weight. But the worst was her trying and failing to kiss his lips. Most attempts ended up on his neck or jaw. One nearly succeeded and landed on the corner of his mouth. It made him feel sick inside. The whole thing made him sick inside.
And it made him want to kick himself for thinking her company was a good idea.
To make matters worse, Dave had stopped hanging out. The wolf had spent about twenty minutes in Natasha’s company while at the beach before storming off. His irritated rant about annoying bitches had moved Nick into following after. If only the vixen hadn’t latched onto his arm and dragged him away! Her proclamations on how ‘wolves were dum-dums anyway’ had Nick considering gnawing his arm off. Looking back, it would have been worth the pain.
Instead, Dave spent more and more time with Brook. Which meant while Nick certainly had the right to choose the vixen’s company, his old friend wanted nothing to do with it. And the todd knew they were seeing Judy on a regular basis. To Nick’s sorrow, she didn’t run her normal routes. Nor was she present at the ZPD youth camp that Saturday. He had shown up bright and early, after spending extra time on his appearance, with a sincere apology on his lips, only to have Judy not show up at all. Dave and Brook had joined him in lineup, but with looks of annoyance, he was mostly ignored. Dave got him alone for a moment during their warm up run to get his side of the story, only for the todd to sped up to avoid answering him.
In all, it had been a very trying summer; not at all the one he had pictured in the beginning. Leading up to this moment, in this dingy, little bowling alley, with an imaginary clock ticking in Nick’s head. Counting down to when he would eventually crack. Regretfully, it happened sooner than expected. The clock thought it was long overdue.
Her constant squealing, high pitched laugh, and endless babble seemed to drill itself into his skull. It made his temples throb and his ears ring. He brought his phone to his lap, freeing his paws to cover the aching appendages on his head. Finnick pulled away from the conversation to give him a look of both confusion and concern. The muttering that followed was an unconscious decision on Nick’s part. The clock ticked closer to his breaking point.
“....shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up…..” She kept on at it, Finn looking between him and her with increasing concern. “.....shut up, shut up, shut up….”
That.
Annoying.
LAUGHTER!
“DO YOU EVER STOP TALKING?”
Everyone in their surrounding area paused what they were doing and looked at him. Both vixens jumped and turned wide eyes towards him while Finnick gave him a glare that should have withered his friend on the spot. But Nick was far too irritated to notice. He faced Natasha, who looked equally shocked and furious.
“Excuse you?” She demanded, after she processed what he had asked, her eyes narrowed on him.
“Looks like I’m up!” Finnick rushed to the lane and rolled his ball, sucking his teeth and grinning when he got a strike. No one reacted. The vixens glowered at the red todd, who glared back with just a hint of teeth showing through his curled lips. Finn gave a small growl and rolled his eyes. “Ignore this idiot, Tasha,” he insisted, strolling back over and giving Nick an angry look. “He’s just being-”
Nick popped out of his seat and waved Finnick away while glaring daggers at Natasha, now gaping at him..
“All you’ve done this WHOLE summer is talk, talk, talk, talk, talk! Seriously! That’s all you do and somehow, you never say anything interesting! Why do you think anyone wants to know about you stupid, fucking fur routine? No one cares which restaurant has the crunchiest croutons or which Snarlbucks-” Nick fixed his expression into a mocking version of hers and changed his voice pitch- “ ‘totally makes my frapp the way I like it so I can, like, take pictures of it to post all over social media because, like, I have nothing important to say or show for my time!’”
Nick was breathing heavily and looking down at her with pure disdain. Standing up, Natasha crossed her arms and glared.
“What the hell are you saying?” The question earned a slow blink from Nick, though his left eye twitched when it reopened.
“I can’t do this,” he said finally, taking his hoodie from the back of his chair. “I can’t sit here and listen to any of this bullshit. Because that’s what this is.” His arms were shoved into the sleeves and the hoodie zipped up. One final look was shot at Finnick. “It’s bullshit. You can go off and add notches to whatever belt fits you, but I’m not going to sit all night listening to Legally Space Cadet over there. It physically hurts. She’s the most boring, annoying mammal I’ve ever met.”
“Like you can do better than me, Wilde.” Natasha stepped forward and put her paws on her hips. Her eyes flashed dangerously at him. “I’m the best a low life like you is ever gonna get. And I’m willing to forgive you and move on if you just apologize.”
“C’mon, Wilde,” Finn pleaded, looking hurt and worried. “I know you’re going through a lot but let’s just get back to our night and forget this happened. See? Natasha still likes you!”
She nodded slowly but didn’t smile. Her eyes remained narrowed on the red todd who rolled his own and headed for the exit.
“If she’s the best I can do, I’m fine not being with anyone. Lose my number. All of you can go to hell!” He called over his shoulder.
Once he stepped out of the air conditioned bowling alley, he paused and took a breath before heading towards home. He had been feeling displaced for a while but with that outburst, a sense of serenity came over him. Hopefully Natasha would stay away after this. And there was the sobering realization that he had outgrown Finnick. It wasn’t that painful but it was a bit sad considering all they had been through. But, for now it seemed, the pair would go their separate ways. Nick was free.
He pulled out his phone and took another breath as he paused at the crosswalk. After a brief debate with himself, he skipped his contacts list and opened Furbook. One quick search later and he had Judy’s profile pulled up. And he was greeted with a photo of her with a ram, who was grinning into the camera with an arm draped around her shoulders. Judy had a small smile on her muzzle, looking slightly uncertain, but seemed to be returning his obvious affection.
‘Hanging with the prettiest gal in Bunnyburrow!’
It hit him straight in the gut.
…………………
Judy rolled her eyes down at the picture and smiled.
‘Hanging with the prettiest gal in Bunnyburrow!’
She was about to scroll by when she noticed the comment right below from one of her sisters.
‘You two make such a cute couple! <3’
‘Thank you! I think so, too ;)’ -Gareth
Her thumbs flew across the screen.
‘We’re a cute couple of friends.’
A message bubble popped up from Gareth.
Gareth: hey, I’ve been thinking, we’ve been getting along so well and been spending a lot of time together. What about making things official?
She read and re-read the message. Her siblings had gotten messages like that all the time. Whenever it happened, there was usually an excited squeal from the bunny in question, followed by a lot of jumping up and down with whomever was around. Before this summer, she would just smile and join in on the excitement. Judy had always assumed she would have the same reaction if it ever happened to her. As much of an oddball as she may have been, it was nice knowing someone out there had feelings for someone like her.
But this just made her feel low. Maybe because it wasn’t Nick sending the message...
Judy: I can’t. I’m sorry. Please, don’t hate me, but I’m not into you like that…
Her mind lingered on their brief time together. How fun the todd was, how he listened to her, challenged her, encouraged her, and shared many of the same goals and interests. Judy was a smart bunny. She may have only been thirteen on the cusp of fourteen, but she knew perfectly well what it was she felt for Nick. And it was a lot more than a little infatuation. By this point, she couldn’t care less what her parents thought.
After everything that happened, Judy had expected them to fly off the handle over pictures with male who was not a bunny. Her brothers and sisters had been teasing her about spending so much time with Gareth, there was no doubt Stu and Bonnie thought there was something more between them. But after a couple of months with no reaction, Judy figured out they just had problems with predators. They were always tense when they saw Gideon with her now, and thanks to her misadventures in Zootopia, they were ready to all but threaten the young fox to stay away from their family. Gideon, however, was smarter than most gave him credit for. He had figured out what their feelings were and had made himself scarce around the Hopps warren when he came back into town. Which meant Judy was spending most of her summer at Sharla’s with the two of them.
And that only perpetuated the Gareth rumors.
She was dragged from her thoughts by the message bubble popping up.
Gareth: so why are you always hanging out with me? Laughing at my jokes and going out of your way to spend time with me? Im getting mixed signals here!
Judy: Because we’re friends? That’s what you do when you’re friends with someone. You spend time with them. At least, that’s what I thought.
Gareth: its because of the fox, isn’t it? Your parents like me more than him, just fyi. and we look better together. i think you should give us a chance.
Her eyes rolled.
Judy: if this is how you're going to be, then I really have no interest in being your friend. Bye, Gareth.
She exited out of Furbook before he could respond and briefly wondered how Sharla would take this exchange. A light knock on her bedroom interrupted her thoughts and she looked up just in time to see her mother enter the room.
“Hi, honey. Can we talk?” Repressing a sigh, Judy sat up on her bed and made room for Bonnie to sit. The older doe settled in and took a breath before turning to her daughter. “I wanted to talk to you about Gareth.”
This time, Judy did sigh. “And there it is.”
Bonnie wrinkled her brow.
“Excuse me, young lady?”
“I was wondering when you were going to talk to me about him.” Her mother gave her a look of irritated surprise. “I mean, who cares about how happy your kits are as long as they date who you want them to. I’m guessing because he isn’t a fox, you were okay letting me get closer to him. But not too close. We wouldn’t want to seem like we’re open minded in the countryside. Interspecies fraternization is what’s dragging this world to hell in a basket, right?”
“You listen to me, Judith Lavern Hopps!” Bonnie stood up and towered over her daughter. Judy gave her an almost bored look, even though her heart was hammering against her chest. “You have no idea how dangerous foxes can be. And it’s about time you grow up. I understand you’re curious and want to experiment. But there are things that we just don’t do! Bunnies can’t become cops and they certainly do not date outside their species.” She took a breath and composed herself. “Imagine what the neighbors would say. What your grandparents would say.”
Judy looked up at her mom with a clenched jaw. She took a deep silent breath before answering.
“I know what you did to Jack.” Bonnie stared at her with a stricken expression. “And I just wanted you to know he chose me. Because that’s the type of brother he is. He loves and forgives unconditionally. But whether you like it or not, he’s going to end up marrying her. And they'll most likely adopt as many babies as they can. If you can’t accept that and start making your peace with it, now, you’re never going to see your son or his family again. Because that’s the type of father he’s going to be. He’s going to make sure no one can hurt the ones he loves the most. Which means you’ll be cut out of his life completely when it happens.”
Bonnie’s mouth fell open but Judy wasn’t done. “And it’s going to be entirely your fault.”
She and her mother exchanged one last look before the older doe left in stunned silence, leaving her daughter to lay back on her bed. The door closed, Bonnie trying to hide the tears in her eyes, matching the ones in Judy’s. There was a twinge of satisfaction mixed with guilt brewing in the young doe. The situation with her parents and Jack had been haunting her for a while. She still wasn’t up to speaking with him just yet, even though she had forgiven her brother a while ago. He had been caught between a rock and a hard place. Judy was still irritated he hadn’t spoken to her first. But on this side of things, she understood.
Brook had called her again not long after leaving Zootopia to apologize and she had forgiven her almost immediately. Nowadays, she, Brook, and Dave hung out online, the preds carefully not mentioning Nick. Or the vixen who was always with him.
Just as she closed her eyes, her phone pinged.
Brook: Sooooo…… Something happened….. :)
A link followed. A furbook post of Nick’s face popped up on her phone. Judy sighed longingly. He was just as gorgeous as she remembered. She had avoided his profile all this time and now that he was right there in front of her, all of the loneliness she felt from being away from him, Jack, and Zootopia hit her full force. But she smiled when she saw the caption.
………………….
Nick felt himself recovering quickly when he saw Judy’s comment. He smiled in relief as he came through the door of his apartment. The sky was dark but the apartment aglow, with the sound of Skye getting ready in their mother’s bedroom in the background. Vivian was at work and Greg had left earlier in the day for another date, leaving Nick alone in the living room with his thoughts.
There’s still a chance! He thought eagerly, throwing himself onto the couch.
Clicking to his profile, he went through and untagged and removed himself from any and all pictures of he and Natasha. Once that was done, he turned his camera on and posed. The selfie was posted, one he was actually very pleased with. He was fairly certain Judy would see it, if not from her own feed, then from Brook’s or Dave’s.
‘Face of a todd who’s finally free and ready to make up for past mistakes. Hopefully it’s not too late.’
I really hope it’s not too late….
He clicked out of Furbook and went back to his contacts, debating on calling Judy. The todd craved the sound of her voice. But a throat clearing had his eyes looking up. Skye stood in front of him with her arms spread and an expectant look on her face.
“How do I look?”
Nick smiled and nodded. “Very pretty.”
She smiled back and gave him a kiss on the head.
“Thank you, Nicky.” Her phone gave a small beep as she pulled on her coat. “That’s the car. Mom is going to be home in an hour and there’s money for pizza on the counter.” She took her bag and went to the door. “I love you. Be safe.”
“You, too.” That earned him a smile. “Don’t do anything Mom wouldn’t do.” Her blue eyes gave him a look equally amused and exasperated.
“It’s ‘Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do’.”
Nick grinned and shrugged. “I’m thirteen. There’s way too much I wouldn’t do. Well, can’t do.” Skye laughed and opened the door. “And don’t do anything she would!”
He caught more laughter as the door closed, happy she was at least smiling again. But now that he was alone, he looked back down at Judy’s phone number. Everything he had said to her was echoing in his head with alarming clarity. He clicked on his messages and paused, staring down at the blinking cursor in near panic. There was a lot he wanted to say to her and he owed it to both of them to get his thoughts in order.
………………….
Jack had been sitting quietly for the entire car ride. It was no longer odd for Sandra to experience, even given how close they normally were. But he sat in the passenger seat of the rented delivery van in silence, wrapped up in his beat up jacket and worn out jeans, head propped in his paw and staring out the window at the passing world. His eyes saw nothing. He wasn’t a chatterbox in the best of times and these were certainly not the best of times for the rabbit. If her guess was right, he was on day two of no sleep and hadn’t eaten for an alarming portion of that time. One could argue alcohol counted. Sandra vehemently disagreed. Especially since he was drinking it like water.
And Sandra could trace it exactly to his breakup with Skye.
It was something so bizarre, Sandra and her coworkers debated on the possibility of it all being some strange, shared dream. But given that the vixen in question had all but fled the cafe in tears, with Nick right behind her, it was regretfully true. Judy leaving right behind them coupled with the angry slap she had dealt out only further skewed their version of normal. And now they were left in wonderment at the shell of their boss the trio left behind.
The doe pulled into a parking spot and killed the engine. Unbuckling, she turned in her seat to face Jack fully, feeling the need to say something- anything, really. Anything that may help snap him out of his funk. But he sat with a paw poised to unbuckle, his eyes cast down and head slightly ducked. From what she could see of him in the dim light of the parking lot’s lamps, his eyes glittered with tears. It scared her slightly. While he never really held back his emotions, it was usually due to happiness that he cried. On reflex her paw went out to him, only to pause midway, unsure on what to do. It made some of her own anger at his most recent choices dissipate.
“I’m sorry...” he murmured in embarrassment, bringing a paw to his face to clear it of emotion. “I… I just... “ Jack looked up at her and gave an exhausted shrug, “I wanted to marry her.” Sandra’s jaw dropped but she couldn’t speak. “I loved her more than anything. Letting her go was supposed to be the right choice. But nothing about not having her feels right.” He looked away, still strapped to his seat, trying to compose himself. His tears spilled over and it brought her own to the surface. “I made the worst mistake of my life, Sandra. And I can’t take it back.”
Sandra shrugged.
“I wish I had an answer for you, jefe,” she said sadly, clearing her throat of tears before continuing. “But the only thing I can say is, let's get this thing over with, then we can go home and drown ourselves in booze.” She put a paw on his shoulder and gave him a shake. “Or maybe a decaf in your case.” That brought a reluctant smile to his face as he closed his eyes and nodded. He took a deep breath and composed himself. His paw finally unbuckled the seat belt.
“Let’s do this.” The bunnies exchanged a fist bump and a watery laugh.
As a team, they climbed out of the delivery van… And promptly bumped into the pair of polar bears waiting for them.
Both gulped as they were towered over, the predators unsmiling faces holding each rabbits' gaze. Jack was vaguely aware of another group of mammals stepping forward to unload the wedding and groom's cake. His blue eyes were quite wide as the polar bear in front of him reached one large white paw into his jacket and pulled out two relatively tiny keys. They were dangled until the rabbit buck opened his paw, allowing them to be dropped into his palm.
“It is Mr. Big's wish that you join us in celebrating his daughter’s marriage,” he explained gruffly.
Sandra came to stand next to him; the polar bear giving her the stare down remained place until their mammals unloaded the van and vanished with the cakes. Her hazel eyes looked from one to the other before accepting one of the keys with a puzzled look on her face.
“One of our guys will show you to your rooms. There will be many interesting mammals at the reception,” the bear continued, “and prey friendly food. Fru Fru would be honored. Enjoy the party as our guests.”
The bunnies were given a nod before he followed after his comrades.
“Oookaayyy,...” Jack watched him vanish before exchanging looks with Sandra, who shrugged and slipped her arm through his for warmth. “I guess that means we're staying for the party." He looked down at his sloppy outfit and frowned. "In… our… work clothes…"
“At least you’re dressed for Tundratown,” Sandra complained, shivering in the thin long sleeved shirt and jeans she wore. “This was supposed to be a 'go in, drop off, skedaddle back to reasonable temperatures' type of job.”
“I’m not looking much better, though. We’re going to stick out like sore thumbs,” Jack observed with a chuckle as he slipped the jacket off and draped it over her shoulders, tugging his hoodie closer around him. “The entrance is just over here.”
They shivered as they fled the cold driveway and stepped through the door, sighing with relief when the warmth enveloped them. A smartly dressed arctic fox todd stepped forward and gestured for them to follow. They were explained the amenities of their rooms and given directions to the reception and time they should be present before being left at their doors across the hall from each other. Exchanging one last shrug, Jack turned and unlocked his room.
It was exactly what he expected. Gorgeous and tasteful, the plush, creamed colored carpet, the impossibly soft looking bed a combination of rich blues and whites. And in the center of the room, was a tux ready for the bunny to put on. Jack paused to admire it. His paws ran over the fine cloth before he undressed to change. Once he redressed, Jack examined himself in the mirror. It fit like a dream. His eyes moved over his reflection thoughtfully...
...skye…
He cut that thought off, only for it to come back with a vengeance when his gaze landed on his jeans. They, along with his shirt and hoodie, were picked up and folded, the black box from the antique shop tucked safely inside his jacket. There would never come a time to use it. It's weight, heavy in his pocket, would be a constant reminder of what he gave up.
Like the chains of the damned, he thought. A paw rested just outside of where it lay, the buck's eyes squeezing shut.
Just breath….
……
Skye tugged the fine coat closer around her as the car came to a stop in front of the Big Mansion’s entryway. The frigid weather of Tundratown was closed out for now, but facing such a formal event alone racked her nerves and made her shiver in spite of the warmth of the car. A smartly dressed arctic todd stepped forward and opened her door. A paw was offered and accepted just as the vixen gathered her nerves to make her entrance.
Her coat was checked, revealing the light blue silk dress hugging her curves. The spaghetti straps (combined with how much curve, fur, and leg was shone off) left Skye feeling shockingly naked. Naked and exposed. More so as some of the guests gave her second and third glances. She kept her head held high and feigned indifference as she glided into the reception. The center was overtaken by a platform devoted to the bride and groom, their families, and more diminutive friends. The various rodents danced and mingled while Mr.Big, Fru Fru, and her new husband stood together at the center for others to pay their respects.
Joining the receiving line, blue eyes scanned the room in admiration. It was catered to mammals around her size and larger and they spared no expense. The pure white of the table cloths were softened by the candles and winter roses that adorned them. The crystal chandeliers sparkled like diamonds in the dim light and champagne flowed freely. It was intimate and romantic and caused a sharp jolt of pain to shoot through her. Checking her composure, she turned away from tables, instead seeking out the groom's cake. The wedding cake was proudly displayed on the side of the platform, but the groom’s cake took a place of honor just beside the entrance.
And the first mammal she saw was Jack.
The breath left her the moment she recognized those ice blue eyes gazing at the work of art he had created. Dressed in a tux that did everything for him, his ears lay flat against his back, eyes moving thoughtfully over the cake. Sandra stood next to him, in a blush pink evening dress, with a cream colored paw on his shoulder. Jealousy filled the vixen as she watched the doe give him a squeeze and kiss on the cheek. It didn’t matter that Sandra had never (and would never) look at him that way and vice versa.
Jack was hers.
He was….
Her brain corrected her, though it did nothing for the scowl etched on her muzzle. Sandra must have felt the daggers of Skye’s gaze, because she looked up suddenly and made eye contact. Skye’s face dropped and her eyes averted briefly before she looked over at the bunnies again. Sandra kept her eyes on the vixen as she whispered something to her boss. The buck nodded to whatever she had said yet kept his gaze on the confection. He was lost in thought.
She was so captured by him she had forgotten about the doe approaching. Nor did she notice that mammals were stepping around her to keep the receiving line moving. The vixen was mildly shocked when Sandra appeared before her, but still let herself be led away from the line to stand off to the side. The doe kept a paw lightly on her elbow once they were safely out of the way.
“Hey, Boss,” the doe greeted nervously. She shrugged when Skye’s attention focused in on her. “Long time, no see.”
Skye considered her sadly. “You look lovely, Sandra.” That earned a smile from the doe. "And I'm not your boss anymore. "
“You always will be to me.” A paw plucked the fabric of her dress uncertainly. “I’m not use to looking this nice. It’s really, really weird.” Her hazel eyes looked over Skye’s shoulder as a smile curved her muzzle. “But I can’t argue results.”
Skye’s own followed her gaze and chuckled. An arctic rabbit doe dressed in catering attire was trying to furtively steal glances at Sandra. The rosy hue of her blush when she was caught was absolutely adorable. But the bashful eyes she batted at her held a definite spark. The vixen fought through another wave of emotion to keep the mood light.
“Well,” Skye began, “you are a hottie and a half dressed like that.”
“You’re one to talk.” Sandra gave her an appreciative look over. “You might outshine the bride.”
That earned Sandra a tired smile.
“Yeah,” she responded dryly. “I definitely feel like a heartbreaker in this get up.”
Her eyes looked towards Jack who had turned to walk towards his table, snagging a glass of scotch from a waiter on the way.
“He’s been a wreck for the last few weeks,” Sandra mentioned. There was a sadness in her voice that caught Skye’s attention. She tried and failed to look uninterested and detached. As if sensing her struggle, Sandra carried on. “And he’s been on a liquid diet, so to speak. I don’t think he’s said more than a few words to anyone since…”
The silence lingered for a moment as the pair watched Jack seat himself in a chair heavily, fresh drink in paw. A doe approached him, full of interest, only to have the buck look her in the eyes and shake his head firmly.
“Since he dumped me.”
She could hear the tense swallow from Sandra.
“Yeah.” Jack pulled his phone out while his free paw moved to his chest. “He-”
“I’ve been wracking my brain,” interrupted Skye, “trying to figure out why. I’ve met some smooth talkers in my day. But none that were able to get me out of my apron and into bed in under six months let alone two weeks.” Sandra looked up at the vixen. But Skye’s eyes were still on the buck at the table, who sighed and put his phone away. Slumping against his seat, he now rose his head and took in the room. “It felt too genuine.”
“Because it was, Skye.” The vixen finally turned away from the buck, ducking a bit to hide behind a crowd of taller mammals. Sandra copied her, carefully pressing herself into the side of a bison who stood next to her. His gaze missed them by centimeters. But Sandra’s words made contact. A small paw landed on her shoulder in comfort once they crept out of the shadows. “No time like the present to talk to him.”
Skye straightened and took a deep breath. The rollercoaster of emotions was almost overwhelming.
Cool. Calm. Collected. And once she conceded to fake it until she could make it, Skye responded.
"Tonight is not about me. It’s about Fru Fru and her new husband.” She looked at Sandra and gave her a hug. “It’s great seeing you Sandra.”
Without another word, she rejoined the receiving line. The doe studied her for a moment before moving towards the bar, where the doe waitress was working.
Sandra’s words barreled through her mind.
Because it was, Skye…
It took all Skye’s discipline to follow the line and not seek out Jack again. But her efforts felt like nothing with how haywire her nerves were going. She was three away from greeting the happy couple when she was suddenly grabbed by her arm.
“Skye.”
The paw was not rough. It was just as gentle as she remembered. And paired with his voice and the scent she had been inhaling from the shirt she still had, it was enough to make her stomach drop. She froze before turning to look at him, his paw still gently grasping her with his thumb lightly brushing over her fur, his eyes meeting hers. The disbelief that flooded them was vast, but they were soon overflowing with excitement. It only fueled the anger and embarrassment she had been burying deep down. She forced herself to keep her face blank. With a slow blink, her arm was pulled free and she turned away from him, determinedly focused on the receiving line.
“Mr. Hopps,” she answered curtly. Jack either missed the hint or wasn’t put off by it. He remained by her side, paw still outstretched as though he was debating reaching out to her again.
“How are you?”
Skye almost laughed. “Just peachy, thank you. I lost a lot of weight a couple of months ago.” She gave him a cold smirk. “Lying snake weight. You know how it is.”
“Skye, I-”
“OH!” Fru Fru’s squeal of delight interrupted their exchange. Both mammals pasted smiles on their faces as they greeted the diminutive couple and Mr. Big himself. “You made it!”
“My children!” The patriarch greeted with a smile. “Thank you for joining us on this blessed occasion.”
“Thank you so much for having us,” Jack greeted, bending to kiss his paw, while Skye kissed Fru Fru’s cheeks. The vixen noticed he pointedly refused to acknowledge her glare.
“And thank you for the dress,” she added.
“I knew you would look amazing in it!” Fru sighed happily and clapped her paws together. “Oh, I don’t know how the guests aren’t gushing over you! This dress looks ravishing!” The shrew looked over at Jack and winked. “I bet you’re having a hard time keeping your paws off her, huh Mr.Hopps?”
“Oh, we’re not together,” Skye corrected quickly. Jack’s ears fell but he didn’t add anything other than a sad glance in her direction. The shrews gave the pair surprised looks before she continued. “But thank you again for the invite. Fru Fru, you look gorgeous!”
“Very,” agreed Jack, though he kept his eyes on her, unnerving the vixen.
With final kisses and thank yous, they moved out of the line towards the tables. Skye refused to acknowledge him and kept her gaze towards the table she was assigned. He flustered her when he stayed by her side, eyes still stuck on her, mouth opening to speak. Her belly was full of butterflies thinking about what he might say. And the fact that he smelled and looked good enough to drag into a broom closet was making what could have been a lovely night out only more difficult.
Maybe leaving after finishing the receiving line counted as attending...
“Skye-”
“Excuse me, miss?” A velvety voice stopped the pair, Skye trying her damndest to not look at the buck who suddenly became tense beside her. The todd who stopped them was well deserving of the jealous glare the bunny gave him. His deep red fur was covered by a well tailored tux and his grey eyes were alight with interest as he moved into her space.
“I couldn’t help but notice you were unaccompanied tonight,” he gave her a charming smile while his long tail flicked around his legs, coming to rest on top of her feet. Jack glared down at it for a moment. “And we just happened to have been sitting at the same table. As a gentletodd, I can’t possibly let such a,” his eyes moved over her with appreciation, “lovely vixen such as yourself remain alone on such a night.”
That seemed to be all Jack was willing to handle. He suddenly stepped forward, taking her paw in his, and got into the todd’s face.
“Actually, she’s with me,” he said aggressively, “and we were about to have a private conversation.” The todd’s eyebrows shot up. Jack turned to leave, dragging Skye behind him towards the hallway that led to their rooms. “Skye, we need to talk.”
The response she had ready died on her lips when she was pulled away from the todd, her eyes going instead towards the male dragging her away from the party. Out of their sight, the todd turned and winked at Fru Fru Big. He slipped his wedding ring back on his finger and rejoined his husband at their table.
“Jack,” protested Skye once they crossed into the hallway. He didn’t stop, just continued to march with her in tow. “Jack!”
Now in an alcove just off the hallway from the reception, he released her, panting slightly while she straightened herself out.
“What the hell is your problem?” she demanded angrily.
“We need to talk,” he insisted again, his expression determined and blocking the exit.
"Last time we 'talked', you told me you wanted forever then dumped me." His expression fell with his ears. Skye tried to hang onto her anger and not succumb to tears. "So you'll have to excuse me if I don't want to talk to you."
She made to move past him but he held up his paws to stop her.
"Please," he begged. "Let me explain. It's not what you think…."
All he received was a huff and eye roll, though a few tears did escape.
“Not what I think? You told me what I wanted to hear so you could sleep with me. Then broke up with and fired me the next day, remember? The Bellwethers were right. All you wanted was to satisfy some sick fantasy so you could, what? Brag to your friends back in Bunnyburrow about the silly vixen you sweet talked into dropping her panties?”
"No," he insisted, breathlessly.
"Well, as well rehearsed as your excuse is, I'm sure, you're going to have to find another silly, little vixen to love and leave again."
Jack fell silent, giving Skye a chance to push through him, moving towards the reception. But his next words had her pausing before rejoining the party.
“What if I told you I didn’t have a choice?” She looked at him over her shoulder, ready to dismiss anything he had to say.
“Why wouldn’t you have a choice? Everyone has a choice. And if this is your way of trying to justify hurting me, then I really, really don't want to hear it.”
“They were going to take Judy from me….” That made Skye stumble again as she tried to continue her exit, turning fully top give him her full attention. Jack's eyes glittered with tears. He swallowed and continued in a choked voice. "My parents gave me an ultimatum. Either I break up with and fire you or…." He trailed off and looked at his feet.
Curiosity got the better of her. "Or?"
Looking back up, with tears dampening the fur of his cheeks, he continued.
"They take Judy away from me and I'm essentially banished from Bunnyburrow. I could live with banishment, but Judy…"
The sadness in his eyes broke Skye’s heart. A stripped paw passed over his face, rubbing his temples, then eyes, before falling away. He was a bit more composed though he continued to look at her as though she was the only mammal in the world worth looking at. Among the sadness and exhaustion was desire and longing… and something that made her heart skip a beat with hope.
“I’m so sorry for hurting you, Skye. Please believe me, I’m so, so sorry. I just couldn’t stand the thought of my smart, capable little sister growing up around mammals who would spend their time discouraging her from her dreams. I know what it’s like to grow up in Bunnyburrow and I was lucky to have moved to Zootopia on a whim for college. My family didn’t have time to talk me out of it.” He shook his head but kept her gaze. “They won’t make the same mistake twice."
The buck took a breath to clear the emotion from his voice. "I couldn't let her think she was trapped in a life she didn't choose. She needed to know there was a friendly place she could go to if she ever needed it. If she ever needed an escape… So, after making one of the biggest mistakes of my life, she chose to go back anyway.” Jack gave her a dismal smile. “I did what I thought I had to. And it wasn’t worth it. Losing you… it wasn't worth it."
"You did it for Judy?" Skye asked incredulously.
He nodded. "I just wanted to protect her. And I lost the only two mammals that matter to me because of it. If I could take it back, Skye… You're the only mammal I ever truly loved. And I broke your heart..."
With trepidation, Jack fell silent waiting for her to say something, breathing heavily to keep himself composed. Hell, he half expected her to just turn and leave for the reception again. He wouldn’t have blamed her if she did. But he certainly didn't expect her to stride to him and crush her lips to his. As surprised as he was, he only took a few seconds to respond. His paws went to her face, fingers tangling in her fur while her own gripped his jacket. She kissed him deeply, hungrily, like a starving vixen to a feast. And he encouraged her enthusiastically.
Jack was left gasping when she finally pulled away. Skye’s lungs were demanding oxygen. Prying her eyes open to clear the haze of lust took far more effort than necessary. They had been so engrossed in their kiss they hadn’t realized they backed into the nearest wall. Her knee had risen up to his hip, one of his paws traveling down to hold it in place. The other paw was still gripping the fur of her head while both of hers had moved to the back of his shirt, pushing his jacket down his shoulders. It took a full minute before he opened his own eyes and met her gaze with one of his own. Both of them had the same thought.
The party going on down the hall was completely forgotten.
Skye wasn’t even sure how they got to Jack’s room. One minute, she was trying to not fall to pieces upon seeing him; the next she was stumbling over the threshold of the room with him, still tangled in his embrace. Once inside, his hindpaw kicked the door shut and he stumbled with her towards the bed. Skye made quick work of his clothes, bow tie already undone and shirt unbuttoned. Jack’s own paws were unzipping her dress and slipping it off her shoulders and down her hips. It was left as a puddle of blue silk on the plush carpet, his jacket and shirt following. His pants and boxers fell in tandem with her panties. The couple landed on the bed in a panting heap.
Skye's paws reached down to grip and guide him between her legs. Adjusting his body, Jack‘s paws went to her face, kissing her while his hips bucked forward, taking her with a thrust of his hips.
“Jack,” she groaned against his lips, gripping his back in pleasure. Her legs wrapped around him, dragging him as deep as he could go. His forehead dropped onto the pillow and he took a deep breath to steady himself. Why had he ever thought losing this was worth anything? This was worth everything. This was completion in every sense of the word. He was meant to be hers and she, his. Slowly, his hips inched back, till only the tip remained, before thrusting again.
“Skye,” he gasped when her thighs tightened and she rolled them. He landed on his back, paws falling to her ass and squeezing. The vixen arched herself while on top of him and dragged her claws down his chest.
“Jack,” she groaned, opening her eyes and panting slightly. Her blue eyes were dark with lust as she smiled down at him.
He smiled back and her hips began to move, his own moving to meet hers. Their pace picked up, but they moved together, pleasure mounting, nearly overwhelming them. Jack sat up, pulling her closer, pushing himself deep inside of her as their movements became more frantic. Their mutual climax bore down on them, their names on each other's lips as they finally reached their peak. She collapsed against him, Jack’s arms wrapping around her, falling back onto the bed together.
“Skye!" He gasped, panting into her neck. "Gods I’ve missed you."
He stroked his paws down her back, her nose pressed against the fur of his shoulder. Skye moved to sit up again, her lips pressing another kiss onto his as she did. Straightening, she stretched on top of him, enjoying the feeling of his paws sliding up her body, stroking the soft, white fur that covered it. They moved back down, coming to rest at the base of her tail.
“What makes you think I’m taking you back?” she asked coyly with a smile. Her blue eyes held humor while they moved over his naked chest, her claws slipping through the fur that covered it, lightly scratching the skin beneath. He pulsed inside her, still hard, the sensation rekindling her lust. Jack grinned back. A paw moved between her legs, his thumb landing in just the right spot to make her close her eyes and rock her hips with a slight hitch in her breath.
“Maybe it’s just wishful thinking,” he whispered back, gently thrusting up again. A groan was suppressed in favor of movement. Talking was a chore at this point, but by gods, he was going to win her back and damn the effort it took. “Maybe I just misinterpreted what this all meant.” She whimpered as he increased the pressure of his thumb, matching the slow pace of his hips. "Maybe I should spend tonight making you as addicted to me as I am to you. Show you how little sense it makes to not be together after all this. Make up for letting you think I could ever live without you. In bed or outside it."
"What if your family disowns you," she gasped, trying to stay focused while he pleasured her. "What if they-"
"You're my family," he said simply, thrusting harder up into her, biting his lip to keep his own peak at bay. “You make me laugh and make me think. You’re strong and ambitious and loyal. You drive me crazy and I can’t live another day without you.” He flipped her and thrust his hips, kissing her deeply before continuing. “You make me a better mammal, you make everyone you meet a better mammal. You’re my reason for living, Skye.”
“Jack!” Sensation overwhelmed her and spiraled out of control. She tightened around him as she descended into orgasm.
“I love you, Skye!” Those words rocked her to her core. It was everything she needed and wanted to hear from him. Even spoken in a moment of passion, she knew Jack meant it.
Skye clung to him, legs tight around his waist, his arms wrapping around her, repeating the words into her ear as he fell over the edge, his thrusting starting to slow.
Jack was fairly certain he was in heaven. There was no way this could be anything less. The couple lay in a heap on the bed, panting as the afterglow settled in. Jack rolled them onto their sides with his nose still buried into her neck. Skye nuzzled him back, moving to kiss his lips. Both pairs of blue eyes opened to one another and they shared a smile. Her leg was still draped over his hip, though he had grown soft and retracted back into his sheath. One of her paws went to his face and brushed the black fur of his stripes.
"You know, there’s no way Judy would have just accepted your parents' decision,” Skye said softly, still stroking the fur on his temples. “She’s too stubborn for that. It runs in the family.” She pressed her nose into the fur of his neck and took in his scent.
“Hindsight is 20/20,” Jack whispered back, returning her nuzzle with one of his own and drawing her closer. “I think we can both agree I’m not a smart mammal.”
A giggle escaped her as she pulled back. “I would have done the same if it was either of my brothers.” A kiss was pressed to his lips before looking into his eyes again. “And I’m not going to lie, your devotion to your family is a huge turn on.”
Sadness glimmered in Jack’s eyes but he continued to smile and stroke her fur lovingly. “After tonight, we’re most likely not going to be welcomed back to the Hopps Warren.”
“Then we’ll just have to start our own.” They laughed quietly together, nuzzling and kissing each other before falling into brief silence. After a moment, Skye spoke again.
“You lost weight," she commented with a hint of concern. Early farm life and a career made of standing, lifting, and constant movement had kept him lean and fit, but he had certainly not been treating his body well in the last couple of months. Even the smallest bit of weight loss was concerningly noticeable.
Jack's eyes studied her own, seeming to drink in her every little detail.
"It happens when rabbits break a bond." His response was quiet and sad. "Everything seemed so trivial without you. Even eating." He smiled softly, his heart warming when she returned the gesture. "I'm a mess without you, Skye. I understand if it's too little too late. But I love you. I need you in my life."
"Forever?" she asked with a smile.
"Forever," he agreed. Relief and hope filled him when she tugged him towards her for a kiss. Only to be interrupted by a loud growl from his stomach.
Both were reminded of their first date when they giggled, lips still pressed together.
"Do you think anyone would notice if we sneak food out of the reception?" Jack's voice had a hint of mischief in it.
"Let's find out," was her devilish response.
Both felt the bite of hunger as they redressed, admiring the other's nude form as they did before they yanked open the door… And were greeted by a dinner cart, complete with champagne and a note from Fru Fru Big.
'Love begets love. Thank you for helping make my wedding day so special. Please accept this as a token of my gratitude.
Fru Fru'
Skye passed the note to Jack after he had pulled the cart inside the room. He smiled when he read before looking up at her, her blue eyes sparkling back. They unloaded the contents onto the small table in the room, Jack pulling out her seat before taking his own. The vixen popped the cork on the champagne and filled their glasses. After clinking together, she smiled as he dug into the food eagerly before joining him with enthusiasm. Very little conversation was made until their hunger was sated.
“Wow,” he mumbled around his final bite, “I didn’t realize how hungry I was.” A light blush spread over his cheeks and ears when he looked up at her with a smile. “Sorry I was so gluttonous. I probably have food all over my face.”
Laughing, she swallowed her last bite and wiped her mouth.
“You’re in the clear and awfully cute when you’re blushing,” she said, with a soft smile of her own. Standing from the table, she walked to his chair, his blue eyes wide and following her, moving from her face to her body, hugged once more in the blue silk of her dress. Skye stopped in front of where he sat and grinned down at him when his gaze traveled back up to hers. “Now, where were we?”
Jack stood to join her, his paws moving to cup her face and kissing her lips. After a long moment, they parted. He angled his muzzle to his ear, whispered “Right about here,” and slid his paws from her face down her neck.
They moved over her shoulders to let the straps of her dress fall. It puddled around her feet. His clothing swiftly followed and, once more, they found themselves in bed, joined together as one. It was in the early hours of the morning before exhaustion had them collapsing together in a panting heap. Snuggling closer, Jack smiled and closed his eyes, her scent in his nose and feeling contentment and peace for the first time in two months. Skye listened as his breathing evened out before reaching up to brush the fine fur of his temple with a smile curling her muzzle.
“I love you, Jack,” she whispered, leaning close to place a kiss on his forehead. She kept her lips pressed against him for a moment before moving back to her pillow. “Will you marry me?”
His eyelids twitched and opened. They met hers and his smile widened. With an alarming burst of energy, he suddenly sat up and scrambled out of the bed. Skye watched with bemusement as he lunged for his jacket. A small black box was fished out of the inside pocket before he dashed back to the bed.
“Sandra and I had gone to an antiques shop,” he explained, sitting on his knees beside her, naked, with the small box in his paws. “I saw this in the display counter and it made me think of you. I figured I’d be carrying it with me for the rest of my life as a reminder of what I gave up. I’d dream of being able to give it to you.”
Skye sat up in bed, her eyes wide and paws on her muzzle in disbelief. The box was turned towards her and opened. Inside, nestled in a bed of black velvet, was the vintage sapphire ring, the blue stone sandwiched between two smaller diamonds. He carefully removed it and took her paw.
“I love you too, Skye,” he breathed, slipping the ring onto her finger. “Yes, I will marry you.”
Tears of happiness spilled as she flung her arms around his neck. They whispered words of love and devotion to each other, punctuated with kisses and strokes that lead to another round of lovemaking.
Sated and exhausted, but still basking in the afterglow, they savored the feeling of belonging to each other…until a dark thought crept into Jack’s mind.
“My parents are going to do everything they can to stop this once we start planning,” he told her, pulling her closer to him.
Considering his words, a thought of her own occurred. “I may have an idea…”
She moved her head to grin at him. Knowing what she was thinking, he grinned back.
